Preview: BYU at Stanford

November 10, 2013|Reuters

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Preview: BYU at Stanford

BYU and Stanford look to build on impressive season-opening wins Monday when the teams meet at Maples Pavilion as part of ESPN's Tip-Off Marathon. Tyler Haws scored 28 points and grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds in BYU's 81-72 victory over visiting Weber State on Friday, while Chasson Randle scored 18 points in Stanford's 72-68 win over Bucknell. The Cardinal received a boost from forward/guard Anthony Brown, who was a Pac-12 All-Freshman selection in 2010-11 before missing nearly all of last season with a hip injury.

Forward Dwight Powell recorded his 14th career double-double as Stanford controlled the boards against undersized Bucknell, but BYU figures to offer a tougher challenge in the paint. Forward Eric Mika, who became the first freshman to start an opener for BYU since 1998, collected seven points, five rebounds and three blocks in the opener and sparked the Cougars' decisive 15-1 run in the second half. "Eric made a couple of big-time plays," BYU coach Dave Rose said. "He altered quite a few shots in the second half at the rim. I think the sky's the limit for him."

TV: 11 p.m. ET, ESPN2

ABOUT BYU (1-0): Mika is expected to make an immediate impact near the basket, and the Cougars are loaded in the backcourt with players such as Haws and junior guard Matt Carlino, who had 22 points, six assists and six rebounds against Weber State. Haws, an all-West Coast Conference selection, averaged 21.7 points last season to lead the league. Sophomore guard Kyle Collinsworth made an impressive return against the Wildcats with his second career double-double after spending the last two years on an LDS mission in Russia.

ABOUT STANFORD (1-0): After finishing last in the Pac-12 in field-goal percentage last season (41.6 percent), the Cardinal provided reasons for optimism in their opener. Center Stefan Nastic finished with 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting for Stanford, which shot 48.1 percent from the field. Brown had 14 points and five rebounds while holding Bucknell star guard Cameron Ayers to 11 points on 5-of-16 shooting, and he'll likely be charged with slowing down Haws on Monday.

TIP-INS

1. BYU and Stanford are playing for the first time since Nov. 23, 2004, when the Cardinal defeated the Cougars 62-53 at the Maui Invitational.

2. Stanford F Rosco Allen is out for the first 4-to-6 weeks of the season with a shin injury.

3. BYU was picked to finish second in the WCC preseason poll, while Stanford was picked to finish sixth in the Pac-12.